Diplomacy
by Nerdherder51
Summary: After Elsa returns from her Goodwill Tour she dispatches Anna and Hans on their very first diplomatic missions. However, Anna's skills as a negotiator leave something to be desired and her first treaty agreement could end in disaster for Arendelle. Continues the story from To Warm The Frozen Heart.
1. Chapter 1

**DIPLOMACY**

* * *

"Elsa, you're home!" Anna squealed as she threw her arms around her older sister.

The queen barely had time to brace herself for the assault. "Oh! Anna, it's good to see you, too."

Anna pulled back, smiling broadly. Governor Hans Westergaard bowed, "Welcome back, Your Majesty. Was your trip a profitable one?"

Before Elsa could provide an answer Anna squealed again, then crushed her older sister in another giant bear hug. Elsa chuckled. It wasn't as if they hadn't been separated before. This time, however, the distance was not measured by the thickness of a door or a ride across the country, but by an entire ocean.

Ever since the Duke of Weselton had been expelled from the Kingdom of Arendelle trade negotiations between the two kingdoms had broken down. The Duke, who was a vainly proud man, did not take his expulsion well and provided ever more obscenely one sided proposals in trade negotiations with the Kingdom of Arendelle.

Elsa, fed up with his games, terminated all negotiations. The Duke countered by effectively cutting off the exchange of all goods between the two countries. This left Arendelle with one less trade partner. Unfortunately, Weselton was a wealthy country and as such comprised a significant portion of Arendelle's annual exports. The loss threatened to depress the economy leaving Elsa's people to suffer without another prosperous trading partner as a replacement.

To that end the Queen of Arendelle struck out to win over other countries. Princess Anna was named regent in Elsa's absence while Governor Westergaard was temporarily called up from his post as Governor of the Province of Fenwick to serve as a trusted advisor. Hans Westergaard had proven himself during the crisis of Fenwick so much so that Elsa was willing to entrust the safety and sovereignty of her kingdom to Anna with Hans at her side. Fortunately, her trust was well founded.

"It was a most productive trip," Elsa replied in between many happy hugs from her sister. Queen Elsa had managed to secure treaties with a number of small nations on the far side of the Atlantic Ocean. There were some interesting visits to be sure, however, one nation in particular stood out from the others: Avalor. When word arrived that the true heir to the throne had returned Elsa wondered where he or she had been. Upon arriving in port at Avalor's capital city she met Crown Princess Elena Castillo Flores and learned the truth of her return.

Governor Hans had a chuckle explaining that the stories of the evil sorceress Shuriki of the Northern Islands was little more than a myth meant to frighten little children. "Supposedly she was banished many centuries ago. I can't believe you would actually believe such nonsense."

"Except that it actually happened, Governor," Elsa explained. "Shuriki is not a myth, but a real person. Princess Elena defeated her after being released from her forty one year imprisonment in the jewel of a magical amulet."

Hans Westergaard was shaken by this news. The myth of Shuriki had originated on his homeland. To learn that the legend was based on a living, breathing person did not sit well with him.

"Don't worry, Hans," Anna told him. "She's long gone. Right, Elsa?"

"Yes. And I have some treats for all of us," Elsa told them. First were recipes for foods that were an important part of culture in Avalor, including tamales, pan dulce and buñuelos among many others. Included with the recipes were some of the ingredients not easily found in Arendelle such as ground corn, various spices and something called a jalapeño. "Trust me, these are delicious foods. I'll have the royal cooks begin preparing a meal immediately."

"Ooh, I can't wait," Anna enthused.

As it turned out, neither could Governor Westergaard. He plucked a jalapeño from its barrel and took a bite. A second later his face turned several shades of crimson and beads of sweat immediately appeared on his brow which then rushed down his face and into his shirt collar. The governor's eyes watered up and his pupils seemed to dilate when he finally let out a spine tingling howl just before snatching a mug of rum from a sailor and downed it immediately.

"HOT!" he bellowed. "MORE RUM!" The sailor complied and Hans consumed several more filled mugs before the painful heat of the tropical pepper faded from his mouth and tongue. "Promise me, Your Majesty, you have no intention of importing this insidious fruit."

Elsa choked back a smile. "We'll be receiving ten barrels every quarter, governor. But I'm sure sales of rum will see a rapid increase," she teased.

As it turned out, Elena of the Kingdom of Avalor had many things in common with Elsa of the Kingdom of Arendelle. Both lost their parents before either was ready to assume the throne and both had younger sisters who were very energetic and supportive. Elena was shocked but delighted to learn of Elsa's unique powers and Elsa marveled at Elena's own special talents including the ability to summon a spirit animal, speak to ghosts on a special night each year and that she had absorbed ambient magic from the amulet which was channeled through her scepter.

"Speaking of sisters, Elena's younger sibling Isabel gifted us this strange contraption," she said, pointing to what looked like a portable armoire with a bicycle attached. The device was meant to help someone change their clothing in only seconds. When Anna tried it, with Kristoff pumping the pedals, she promptly emerged wearing a thin, white dress embroidered with colorful designs that wrapped around the neckline, sleeves and hem.

"It's lovely," she gasped. "Ooh, and chilly."

Elsa giggled. "Well, Avalor is in a warm climate so light, airy fabrics are ideal."

"Oh, I wish I could have gone with you, Elsa," Anna chattered. "It sounded like so much fun."

"Well, the real treat was flying."

"Flying?" Anna and Hans stammered together.

"How," he asked, disbelieving, the sting of the hot pepper now just a painful memory.

Elsa explained about the half jaguar, half macaw flying cats which were native to the land. The Jaquins were magical creatures capable of flight due to their large wings and colorful plumage. "I took a ride on one of them. It was the most sensational feeling I've ever had," Elsa gasped. "You feel unhindered when you are among the very clouds."

"I have to visit!" Anna screamed. "I hope we can go back soon."

"Actually, Elena will be coming to Arendelle in October of next year," Elsa told her. She explained about a unique holiday Elena's people celebrate called Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. In Elena's culture, on this day people go to the cemetery with ornate altars and cooked foods to remember the lives of those family and friends who are no longer with them.

To Anna this sounded morose.

"It's actually quite the celebration," Elsa told her. "That is why I invited Elena to visit our nation. You see, it is on this one day when Elena can see the ghosts of the dead. I'm hoping she can see our mother and father and we can talk to them one last time."

Anna gasped. "Mother and father? Elsa, please. This sounds like dark magic."

"It isn't," the queen reassured her sibling. "But, I… we never…"

"You want to know if they are proud of you," Hans stated bluntly.

Elsa nodded. "Yes. Of both of us. And also so we can have a chance to say goodbye to them."

Anna was uncertain, but yielded to her older sister's judgement. "If you are okay with this, Elsa, I'll go along."

Hans, though, considered it pointless. "I doubt anyone has the capacity to see spirits and ghosts." Elsa set him straight by informing the governor that Avalor's court magician summoned Zuzo, the animal spirit and Elsa was able to see and converse with him. "I don't doubt you, Your Majesty, but the idea still seems far-fetched."

"I understand, governor," Elsa replied even handedly. "I had the same doubts myself until I was face to face with Zuzo. Perhaps when you meet him you will change your mind. Now if you will both come with me, there are much more serious matters to discuss."

* * *

 **This story continues where To Warm the Frozen Heart left off. Diplomacy will still be a dramatic story, though it will be a lighter affair than the previous story in the arc.**

 **I do hope you enjoy this new entry.**


	2. Chapter 2

**DIPLOMACY**

* * *

After dinner Elsa addressed her sister and the Governor of Fenwick. "My goodwill tour of the civilized nations of the New World was quite successful," she explained. Elsa had managed to secure trade agreements with several smaller countries along. While no single nation was able to equal the monetary value of exports to Weselton the combined total of all the new trade agreements compensated for nearly seventy five percent of the loss. "There is a problem," Elsa stated. "This, Anna, is why I'm sending you on your first diplomatic mission."

Anna nearly fell out of her chair, Elsa had not forgotten since mentioning it several months ago. "I can do this Elsa, just let me know what you need."

Elsa smiled, always pleased at Anna's unbridled enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the princess's penchant for wearing her emotions on her sleeve could be more of an obstacle than an asset in such a situation. Elsa hoped that this mission would provide Anna greater motivation to reign in her usually bubbly personality during these conferences. "Yes, Anna. I need to you go to Spain and negotiate a treaty for Right of Deposit at their port of New Orleans on the North American continent."

A right of deposit allowed a nation to store goods at a foreign port prior to export to other destinations without paying port fees. Because Arendelle would be trading with several countries on the far side of the Atlantic it made sense to have a central location in the Western Hemisphere where the goods could be stored prior to dispersal to their final destinations. France had claimed the Louisiana territory in 1682 but ceded it to Spain in 1762 at the conclusion of the French and Indian War. Thus it was necessary for Anna to travel to Spain and not France to negotiate the treaty. Furthermore, Anna was to secure navigation rights from Spain for the Mississippi River, as well.

"Why?" Anna questioned.

"Because, I'm sending Governor Hans Westergaard to Washington, D.C. to negotiate a trade agreement with the United States," Elsa continued.

Governor Hans was struck by her command. "You entrust me with this task, Your Majesty?"

"Of course. Besides, if you ever hope to lead your own country you'll need practice in negotiating agreements with other sovereignties. As I recall, your last such mission didn't exactly end quite so well," the queen said, speaking of course about his first visit to Arendelle which ended rather badly for him.

"I have little doubt that President Jefferson will be far less tolerant than you if I were to engage in such an undertaking," Hans joked.

"Jefferson? Not Adams? Oh yes, of course, they had an election didn't they?" Elsa sighed, briefly cupping her face in her hands as she spoke. "This is what… their third president in twelve years? Why couldn't they just have a monarchy like everyone else? Very well, proceed. Each of you will have until the end of the month to familiarize yourselves with all relevant information regarding the two nations and their customs to aide you in your negotiations. Hans, you will accompany Anna to Spain as her aide. When her work is completed there you will sail immediately to Washington, D.C. where Anna will become your aide as you finalize the trade agreement with President A-, I mean Jefferson and his staff. Do each of you understand?"

Both nodded in agreement.

"Very well, I suggest you begin immediately, you both have much work to do."

 **~O~**

"Your, Majesty, the royal ambassadors' ship has returned," a servant informed Queen Elsa.

"So soon?" she questioned. It had been nearly three months since Anna and Hans had set sail for Spain. Elsa expected that finalizing treaties between two nations on either side of the Atlantic Ocean would take far longer.

Elsa went to the docks to receive the royal ambassador's vessel. When the ship was secured she boarded immediately and located Hans, who was alone. "What has happened? Where is Anna?" she asked.

"Princess Anna is in Paris, France," Hans replied, "a guest of the French government until my return."

"What were you doing there?" Elsa demanded to know.

"Your Majesty, may we speak privately," Hans replied cautiously. "Things have changed since our departure."

Elsa's heart sunk. Arendelle was not at war with France nor was there any reason for any hostilities to exist. She began to wonder if Anna had something to upset Napoleon. Or perhaps Hans was indeed the chameleon and, taking advantage of the situation, was preparing to use Anna as leverage to claim the throne of Arendelle. Such fears were counterproductive. Instead, she spoke with the ship's captain, securing the use of his private cabin.

Inside, with the door closed, Queen Elsa sat at the captain's desk and again demanded of Hans a report. "Now then, Ambassador, explain yourself. Why is my sister in France?"

"Spain no longer controls New Orleans," he said flatly. Upon their arrival it was learned that Spain had returned possession of the entire Louisiana territory back to the French. However, the change of ownership was not made public. Therefore, to properly negotiate the treaty it became necessary to sail to France and meet with Napoleon's ministers regarding the Right of Deposit at the Port of New Orleans.

"Why would Napoleon want the Louisiana Territory?"

"He intends to rebuild a French empire in the Western Hemisphere," Hans replied. "Or at least he did until the slave revolt in Saint-Domingue." The revolt in Saint-Domingue was a successful uprising by African slaves against their French masters (on the island now known as Haiti). Attempts to recapture the island had failed and without it and the island's bountiful exports Napoleon's dreams of a new French Empire in the West faded quickly.

"Anna, seizing opportunity, has brokered a rather, shall we say, unique treaty with the French," Hans finished.

"What do you mean, 'unique'?" Elsa asked of him. "Were you able to secure the right of deposit as I asked?"

"No," Hans stated directly. With the loss of the island in the Caribbean and the threat of renewed conflict with Great Britain, Napoleon was searching for ways to raise money and fund the upcoming war. Thus he took to selling off assets. "Anna decided it was more prudent to buy than to sign a treaty which might not survive the year."

"Do you mean to tell me she purchased the Port of New Orleans?" Elsa asked, astonished.

"What I mean to say is that Anna has purchased this." Hans laid out a map of the North American continent. On the east was the fledgling United States of America. To the West were territories claimed by Spain. Sandwiched in the middle was a large territory that began along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and crawled northward along the Mississippi River to the east and widened ever westward until it reached the British territories to the north.

Elsa, who stood to view the map in its entirety, flopped back down into the captain's desk chair. She was flabbergasted and horrified. "You mean Anna has purchased… Louisiana? The entire territory?"

"Indeed she has," Hans informed her. "Eight hundred thousand square miles. I explained it was an extravagance we could not afford, but she refused to listen to counsel."

"How much?"

"Sixty million Francs." Hans set out the treaty for Elsa to sign, completing the agreement.

Instead, Elsa stood up and wondered about the cabin, looking utterly shocked and almost out of sorts. "Oh, Anna, do you know what you have done? You've bankrupted Arendelle! Soon the French are going to own us."

* * *

 **Hoo boy! Anna has done it again.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Frozen**

 _Diplomacy Ch. 3_

* * *

"Oh, Anna, what have you done?" Elsa moaned again, reviewing the treaty which, if signed, would complete the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France and transfer all ownership rights to Arendelle.

Hans Westergaard offered in detail what had transpired. As Elsa listened she could think of many reasons why this should never have happened. But it did and for one overriding reason. "This is entirely my fault," Elsa said, blaming herself.

"I disagree, Your Majesty," Hans told her. "You could not have known the circumstances which led to this ill-advised treaty."

In a way Hans was correct. The transfer of the territory from the Spanish to the French was not publically known. Furthermore, no one could have anticipated Napoleon deciding to sell the territory to fill his coffers in anticipation of war. Yet Elsa still chose to take blame for one thing: Anna was terribly inexperienced. A better prepared diplomat might have waited to determine the disposition of the port and initiate talks with the new owners. Or she could have simply inquired about purchasing only the port of New Orleans and the surrounding city.

"She did, Your Majesty," Hans informed her. "Napoleon's ministers instead offered the entire territory to Anna as a counterproposal."

 _Smart girl_ , Elsa mentally noted. This was not the choice Elsa would have made, yet she could not deny it was a bold one. And she could understand the reasoning behind Anna's conclusion. Anna was quite correct that it made no sense to negotiate a treaty when the status of the port in question was unsettled. This no doubt placed Anna in a most difficult situation. Dealing for the territory certainly would have made sense to Anna, as it would solve a great many problems.

Buying the Louisiana Territory would have also made Arendelle a very influential player in the Western Hemisphere. No longer would Queen Elsa have to secure rights of deposit or pay fees to another nation. Instead, powerful nations like the British, the French, the Portuguese and even the fledgling United States would come to her to secure rights of deposit and passage for the Mississippi River.

Maintaining a heavily trafficked port in the New World would also mean a constant stream of funds. And Arendelle would be able to attract a great many more trade partners with all the resources available in the newly acquired territory: lumber, vast farmlands, fish and game, the pelts of large animals and their smoked meats, textiles, milling, exotic grains, fruits and vegetables and who knew what else could be extracted from this region.

Anna was thinking beyond the here and now. She had a vision. And what a vision it was. Elsa could understand what made this treaty so very attractive. A slight curl appeared in the corner of her mouth. Even that pompous Duke of Weselton would have no choice but to come crawling back to negotiate a fair treaty to trade for all those exotic imports from the New World. Elsa wasn't a spiteful person, but that would be so very satisfying.

But while Anna clearly could see all the positives there were negatives associated with assuming control of such a vast and untamed land which clearly escaped her enthusiastic response. First it would take years, perhaps decades, to properly colonize the region, establish towns, farms, roads, schools and all before ever being able to see a profit. Additionally the land was bordered to the east by the United States, the west by the Mexico and the north by Canada. Securing and defending such long and winding borders would be impossible without a sufficient military for such an undertaking. And such undertakings cost money.

Furthermore, the people who lived there were loyal Spanish citizens who might not take kindly to learning that they were now the wards of another country. Arendelle would either have to grandfather them into Arendelle citizenship or ask them to return to their home country. Another consideration was the native population of Indians who may not be willing to recognize Arendelle's claim to the region.

But there was a far greater concern. One with a dark undertone which frightened Elsa to her very core.

Of the sixty thousand or so who officially occupied the Louisiana Territory at this time, half were African slaves. Arendelle did not keep slaves. Signing this treaty made Elsa the owner of thirty thousand poor souls kept in bondage. It would be easy enough to simply give them their freedom, but what then?

They had no education or formal training in anything other than the work they were forced to do each day. But what nagged at Elsa more than anything regarding the existence of African slaves in the territory Anna was so eager to purchase was the revolt of Saint-Domingue. The uprising had been more than just simply throwing off the yolk of their masters and casting off the colonial way of life. It had also been an act of pure, raging vengeance let loose on anyone whom the former slaves captured.

The end result of that slave uprising was so violent, murderous and bloodthirsty that it shocked the entire civilized world. What if similar murderous revolts erupted across this new territory Anna hoped to acquire? How many people would die under Elsa's watch? What was Elsa to do with the surviving Africans if, after learning they were free, decided to turn on their former masters and engage in wholesale slaughter?

Those who died at Saint-Domingue were not exactly innocent, and considering how brutal the treatment of the slaves was for so many years some might say they deserved their fates. But in Louisiana, citizens of Arendelle who chose to colonize and occupy the land would most certainly be innocent. They had no part in the oppression of the African peoples but if there was an uprising the former slaves would not care to discriminate between those who brutalized them and those who had just arrived looking to set them free. Elsa could be putting her own people in harm's way and she wanted no part of that.

Granted, this wasn't a foregone conclusion, but if it happened in one place, it could just as easily happen elsewhere. And how would that impact the way Arendelle colonists would associate with the former slaves? This led to much soul searching for the Queen of Arendelle. "If I sign this treaty I can free thirty thousand people kept in chains, but risk putting more in danger. If I decline this treaty, then those poor souls remain in bondage, left to die under the lash of their masters."

It was not a decision she wanted to make. Unfortunately, Anna had unwittingly placed her into exactly that position.

"This purchase is far too complicated for Arendelle to effectively manage," Elsa sighed. Louisiana was too vast, too difficult to secure and protect and offered too many chances for death and destruction from within without a military presence and Arendelle could not send such a large enough force without compromising its own defensive strength back home.

Ultimately Queen Elsa decided that she had to put the welfare of Arendelle and its people above all else.

"Hans, please tell Anna that while I admire her strong diplomacy and bold vision, Arendelle is in no position to secure the rights to a vast territory on another continent. Please return to France and explain my misgivings to my sister. We will have no choice but search for another favorable port."

"Your Majesty, the Port of New Orleans may still be worth our while," he told her. "You see as I was leaving another nation entered into negotiations with France for the same territory."

"Who is that?"

"The United States," he answered. As it turned out, the United States was also seeking right of deposit for the Port of New Orleans and in response Napoleon has made a similar offer to President Jefferson. If the United States were to indeed acquire this territory Arendelle could negotiate with them for right of deposit and to secure passage along the river, Hans suggested.

Elsa offered a slight smile. "Excellent thinking, Ambassador. However, I doubt that their congress would approve of such a large purchase. I would think the U.S. would prefer to strengthen their own position before considering further expansion. If, however, your prediction comes to pass I fully authorize Princess Anna to engage in negotiations with the United States for rights of deposit in New Orleans and navigation rights on the Mississippi River."

"Very good, Your Majesty." Hans took the parchment and informed the captain of their return trip of France. However, the ship's commanding officer explained it would take at least two full days for the ship to be made ready. Ship's stores needed to be restocked, the water barrels needed scrubbing to remove mold, the ship's carpenter needed to effect repairs on the Main Mast and barnacles had to be scraped from the bottom of the hull before setting sail. Plus it gave ample time for the crew to spend their money foolishly on food, wine and women thus all but requiring them to sign on for another voyage. "Don't worry, Ambassador," the captain replied. "We'll be ready on time. You can bet your knickers on that."

As scheduled, the ship exited port bound for France with the bad news. Elsa watched from the comfort of her castle with a burden of sadness in her heart. Anna had been so much more capable at the art of diplomacy then even Elsa gave her credit. She struck a bold move, had a clear vision and had negotiated some rather fair terms. Elsa had so wanted to give her younger sister this first, precious victory. But she could not. "Don't worry, Anna, you'll get your chance soon enough."

* * *

 **Note: The uprising of Saint-Domingue, also known as the Haitian Revolution, was an actual insurrection which lasted from 1791 - 1804 and led directly to the foundation of the nation of Haiti. The revolt shook the world forever as it challenged the widely held beliefs of black inferiority that permeated that time frame. It made slave owners in other countries less trusting of their own slaves who now feared bloody revolts; caused Thomas Jefferson, a staunch anti slavery advocate, to reconsider an end to slavery in the U.S. for fear of bloodthirsty uprisings throughout the South; and the event was used as an instrument of fear in mid 19th century America by some abolitionists of the North against slave owners in the South as the abolitionists gleefully called for slaves to rise up and murder their masters and let the streets of Southern cities run red with blood.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Diplomacy Ch. 4**

* * *

Anna was disappointed, but not entirely surprised that her sister the queen had declined to accept the treaty. She had been hopeful, though, as Anna had included a lengthy letter detailing her arguments for completing the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. In the rebuttal letter Elsa laid out her own concerns, the largest part of it surrounded the disposition of the thirty thousand or so slaves who lived there and how the slave revolt of Saint-Domingue might impact relations between the Arendelle colonists, peace keeping guards and the former slaves.

While communications moved slowly by ship, Princess Anna had spent her time in Paris wisely. When at her Parisian apartment she worked out a structured emancipation in her head. Her proposal was that slavery be lifted slowly and in stages. The young would need education, so step one was to build schools and educate the children of the slaves how to read, write and perform arithmetic. Then they would be taught a set of skills necessary to sustain themselves in the territory. Farming, fishing, skinning, tanning, carpentry, blacksmithing or any of many other necessary trades would be apprenticed.

Once educated the youngest would receive their freedom, followed by the young adults who would also need educating. Slowly but surely more and more of the slaves would be emancipated until all were freed and the institution of slavery banished from the Louisiana Territory forever. Additionally, every slave or slave family would receive a homestead of their own to farm or ranch or establish their preferred trade. Any African who wished to leave the territory would be provided transportation to a friendly port with funds to continue on to their destination.

To facilitate help from the one time owners, each would be paid a fair price as compensation for each slave they would lose. The tiered method of ending slavery would also allow the Spanish landowners the time they needed to adjust to life without forced labor, either by hiring employees or choosing a new trade or other occupation (or if they refused to live without slavery, they could leave the territory altogether).

It was, in Anna's mind, the best compromise for dealing with the horrid practice in a manner that was the least painful for all sides concerned. To eradicate the barbaric practice of owning another human being instantly risked plunging the region into economic collapse. The landowners, unable to practice their farming, would starve and perish. The slaves, without any learned skills, would be unable to secure work or find shelter would suffer just as badly.

When Anna's counterargument arrived in Arendelle Elsa agreed with her sister's conclusion that abolishing the institution of slavery would not be easy. However, she did not agree that the process could be executed so easily and returned a letter in detail why it could not work without a sufficiently colonized region.

 _We would be dangling freedom tantalizingly close to those in their middle years and older, yet none would have the practical expectation that such freedom would ever arrive at their doorstep in their own lifetimes,_ Elsa wrote in her response. _Such an empty offer could very easily incite revolt against the Arendelle citizenry thus sparking an armed conflict. Those whom we had intended to free and lift up may find themselves instead laid low by the very weapons meant to protect them and maintain order. I cannot have the stain of so much innocent blood on my hands._

Then she added a firm postmark telling Anna that the subject was closed and wrote firm orders to decline the offer of the territory from the French.

Elsa also put an end to the diplomatic mission to France entirely, instead recalling the envoy and redirecting it to the Kingdom of Avalor. Their purpose was to negotiate for right of deposit at that nation's busy main port. Queen Elsa had decided to give up on the Port of New Orleans as the central nexus of distribution in the Western Hemisphere. As negotiations continued between France and United States over the territory, communications between Paris and Washington, D.C. took weeks and Elsa preferred not to wait any longer to determine the outcome. Instead she intended to pursue her second choice. The Port of Avalor was not as centrally located, but would be more than sufficient for their needs since every nation which was to begin trade with Arendelle also traded with Avalor.

To facilitate this new, trans-Atlantic trade route Hans and Anna's vessel the _RAS (Royal Arendelle Ship) Diplomat_ was to proceed first to Charleston Bay and negotiate with the local authorities for Arendelle ships to dock on a regular basis and resupply. This was necessary as the first leg of the route, which was from Arendelle to the South Carolina port was going to take several weeks to complete. The second leg, from Charleston to Avalor, was another several weeks' journey.

Saddened that Elsa didn't see clear to complete the purchase of Louisiana, Anna was more than excited to visit Avalor. "I want to ride one of those flying jaguar cats," she squealed more than once before their vessel even left the harbor.

Hans seemed more than exhausted of the talk of flying jaguars. "How can you insist such things actually exist?" he asked.

"Hey, you've seen a giant snowman…," she began before being cutoff.

"Which was created by your sister's considerable magical powers," Hans reminded her. "Who created these mythical cat creatures that can supposedly fly?"

"Are you calling Elsa a liar?" Anna posed to him.

Hans narrowed his eyes. "No, though it is possible she may have been… exaggerating. Perhaps from the excitement of such a successful tour, or from spending so much time at sea. It has been known to happen."

"Humph! Well see when we get there," Anna rebuked.

 **~O~**

The _RAS Diplomat_ arrived at Charleston, South Carolina after several weeks at sea. As the Ambassador most prepared for dealing with the United States, Hans took the lead while the ship's captain resupplied for the rest of the journey.

While Hans was concerning himself with business, Anna took the time to visit the city to soak up the culture. The clothing, rituals, food and even language were very different. She was at first confused by the local dialect but quickly adapted to it, penetrating the drawl spoken by the common citizens on the streets. She did notice that a few people did have an aristocratic air to them, which was at odds with the American governmental structure of a republican democracy, a democratic society governed by an overriding set of laws which this country labeled The Constitution.

Princess Anna meandered about the city, sampling the local cuisine and purchasing a few goods for herself such as garments, shoes, and a peculiar pocket watch which, according to the shopkeeper, was devised by Englishman John Harrison and was meant for computing longitude quickly and easily while at sea. Previously longitude was computed via an astrolabe which measured the location of several heavenly bodies and the application of complex mathematics which took so long to complete that the resulting information was typically useless because the ship had long since sailed from the location where the measurements were taken.

The pocket watch, which was designed to remain accurate even at sea, meant that the ship's navigator merely had to determine local time with the astrolabe then compare it with the time in Greenwich kept on a second timepiece and using the difference to locate a ship's longitude. This method only took minutes and did not require knowledge of advanced mathematics. Timepieces had not been used for this purpose before because most clocks and watches were notoriously inaccurate, losing several minutes each day. This would throw off the calculations badly. Harrison's more accurate watch kept time quite a bit better and was not affected by changes in weather or climate nor was it affected by the rocking of a ship in the same way as a pendulum clock.

Accurately and easily calculating longitude at sea had been the greatest scientific challenge the world had faced. Throughout the millennia many ships were lost due to inaccurate calculations and thousands of sailors lost their lives when vessels crashed upon reefs far from their destinations. For centuries some of the brightest minds the earth had to offer tried to concoct an answer to this most important quest.

Amerigo Vespucci was the first to devise a rudimentary means of calculating longitude by comparing the angles of the Moon and Mars in the sky. However, this method was riddled with limitations including necessitating that the Moon and Mars appear in the sky at the same time, the ability to anticipate such an occurrence with an astronomical almanac and knowing the current local time which could be difficult if not impossible in foreign lands. It also required a stable viewing platform, an impossibility at sea. Galileo deduced that the moons of Jupiter could be used to determine longitude but was impractical for use by mariners at sea.

So dire was the need to quickly and easily determine longitude that in 1714, following an incident that caused the deaths of dozens of English sailors whose vessels were off course, Queen Anne offered a large sum as a reward for discovering such a method. The Board of Longitude was established and peopled with England's most esteemed scientists to tackle the problem. Ironically, it was a common clock maker, John Harrison from England, who eventually solved the greatest riddle of the ages near the end of the eighteenth century.

"The captain will love this," Princess Anna chirped. If the watch worked as predicted, it would make navigation that much safer. "This is going to do wonders for all ships at sea."

On her way back to the docks Anna noticed several people gathering at a large house. To her horror she learned that inside recently acquired African people were being sold off to be slaves. It provided stark reminders that even a city as civil and genteel as this had its dark side.

She walked away, but something nagged at her. Anna turned around and went inside. She found several very dark skinned African men, women and children standing naked in a room as a man spoke about their attributes as if they were cattle being sold at auction.

That, in fact, was what was happening. Although she understood that slavery had been in existence for thousands of years she could never understand how any person could justify owning another person like property and treat them like animals. Yet somehow these people, buyers and sellers alike, were doing just that.

The nagging conscience which had brought her here suddenly spoke louder. Now Anna understood why she felt so compelled to turn around rather than just leave and ignore the sale. The princess calculated what she could spend from the ship's treasury and then offered it for the purchase of several African slaves. She picked out four families and several individuals as part of her acquisition and had them brought to the ship where payment was completed, consummating the sale.

When Hans returned he was not only perplexed, but furious. "What were you thinking?" he bellowed.

"I'm not going to keep them," she explained. Anna's intention was to grant them their freedom and offer them citizenship in Arendelle if they wanted it.

Hans, though, was less concerned with what her reasons were and more about the money she spent. "Thanks to you we now have barely enough in our funds to complete this mission providing there are no complications."

"We'll figure something out," she told him with a silly grin. Her conscience was clear; she had rescued a small group of people who didn't deserve to be held in bonds. Unfortunately, Hans was correct. One complication immediately arose from Anna's purchase. The ship's captain now had to acquire more food and water to account for the addition of passengers. This would drain the ship's funds even more. To make up for the shortfall Anna raided her personal items taking several pieces of jewelry, selling them on land and using the money to pay for the extra food and water. A side benefit of her transaction was that she was also able to bring aboard a change of clothes for each of the new passengers she had acquired.

Before the ship set sail the next high tide Anna give each former slave a chance to bathe and put on clean clothing. She brought each of them on deck and announced, "I am Princess Anna of Arendelle. My country does not believe in the keeping of slaves. Since this ship is sovereign Arendelle territory you are hereby declared free men and women."

The Africans whom she had purchased just blinked in amazement. The families looked at each other while the three individuals, two men and one woman were at something of a loss. Finally, one man stood forward and asked, "What is to become of us?"

Anna smiled and answered. "This ship will return to Arendelle after it completes its diplomatic mission. My home is a European country located in the far north. You are welcome to become citizens and live your lives as you see fit."

One of the men, an individual with no family, responded, "And if we chose not to return to your nation?"

Anna's response was quick and definitive. "We can leave you at a port where you can purchase transport to wherever you wish to go. We will provide the funds to help you to reach your destination."

At this the Africans who were destined to be slaves beamed with joy. "Then we are truly free." The families hugged one another, the children and women wept and even some of the men joined them. The ship's cabin boy took them to assigned rooms where they would berth during the remainder of the trip. While the _RAS Diplomat_ sailed on to Avalor, Anna took it upon herself to convene a school for the children, teaching them to read, write, count and perform basic math. Some of the adults soon joined in.

Astonishingly, many of the former slaves willingly pitched in to do some of the shipboard labor, preferring to work for their passage even though they were declared official guests of Princess Anna and the Kingdom of Arendelle. When they were not in school the adults swabbed decks, cooked, cleaned and performed other tasks alongside the ship's crew.

Anna's impromptu school was well received and the children enjoyed their time with her. During class they often asked questions about Arendelle, what it was like and who the queen was. Anna showed them paintings and pictures in books of her home country. Few could believe their eyes when they saw so much ice and snow.

"Does it snow there often?" one child asked.

"All the time," Anna replied. "Well, in some places, like the North Mountain."

"Does it ever get warm there?" Another child asked.

Anna laughed. "Yes it does. During the summer the days are quite pleasant."

"Do you have any people like us?" someone asked. It was one of the adults.

Anna grinned. "As a matter of fact, we do," she answered the woman.

"Are they servants?"

"No. They are free citizens. They work, sell their wares, conduct business and live on their own land in their own houses."

"I like that."

Anna then decided to ask them some questions. "How did you come to be in Charleston? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

The woman looked at her husband who answered for the family. Their village in Africa was attacked by a neighboring tribe. Several of the villagers were killed in the fight. Those who survived were taken as prisoners and made slaves, Africans owning other Africans. The conquering tribe was also more than eager to sell their captives to the highest bidders, in this case ships from the New World.

Anna was overwhelmed by his tale. "Does this happen often?" she asked.

"It is a common occurrence," the husband told her.

"We had a home there," the wife injected. "A home and a place where we could grow food that we shared with the village. Then the tribal war began and so many of us were captured and put on ships to foreign lands. At least we were able to stay together."

"Well, you are welcome to come back to Arendelle and make a new home there," Anna invited. "And no one will conquer your village or sell you off to another nation. You'll be safe there. My sister and I will make sure of it."

Anna decided it was best to end class that day after such a somber conversation. The next day she reconvened her school, continuing to teach and answer questions. Yet that conversation was never far from her thoughts. It made her realize just how wonderful a place Arendelle really was.

A week and a half later class was interrupted when a lookout shouted that he saw land. Not long after the ship sailed into a busy port filled with a great many ships flying colors from a great many different lands. When the _Diplomat_ was properly docked a small contingent of people come aboard to greet them. One, a young woman with a somewhat woody brown complexion and a long black pony tail who was a bit younger than Anna stood forward and addressed them. "I am Crown Princess Elena Castillo Flores. Welcome to the Kingdom of Avalor."

* * *

 **John Harrison, a self educated clock maker, did indeed invent the first practical marine timepiece which allowed mariners to quickly determine longitude at sea, solving what was the single greatest scientific riddle of his time.**


End file.
